Message No. 11

Passion Week
Proverbs

Jesus was known for speaking
proverbial and parabolic language. A proverb

is a short, pithy saying in frequent and widespread use, expressing a well-known
truth or fact. A parable is a simple story illustrating a moral or religious
lesson. The discourses and the sermons of the Lord Jesus as found in the Gospels
abound with proverbs and parables. Eventhough the proverbs quoted by Him were
not uncommon, the choice of them was unique. The number of proverbs He used
seems to be more towards the end of His earthly life. With very little time left
before He would leave for Heaven, He used more and more proverbs and parables to
drive home hard lessons and rich truths into the hearts of His listeners. Here
is a meditation of 10 proverbs He used during the Passion Week, Palm Sunday to
Good Friday. These last week proverbs teach intensely practical lessons to us
who are living in the last days.

1. Bathing
& Washing

"He who is bathed needs
only to wash his feet, but is completely clean" (Jn 13:10).

Footwashing is literally
practiced in certain Christian assemblies. Without the footwashing ceremony they
will not have the breadbreaking service. They would even insist that breaking of
bread should be done only in the evening because it is the Lordís
"supper" ó not breakfast or lunch! Discussing the validity of such
views is beyond the scope of this article. I would like to focus on the
spiritual meaning of footwashing.

Through the use of this proverb
(Jn 13:10), Jesus wanted to teach His disciples the difference between bathing
and washing. He said that there was no need for them to bathe again. What was
necessary was just washing of the feet. This beautifully illustrates the
difference between Justification and Sanctification. Justification is comparable
to bathing. Itís an instant cleansing by the blood of Jesus. Itís total.
This cleansing by the Blood makes saints out of sinners instantly. "He who
is bathed is completely clean!" Thereís no sin against him in Godís
record. The depth of Godís love has thrown his sins into the depths of the
sea; its breadth has removed them as far as the east is from the west; its
length has put them behind Godís back; and its height has caused them
disappear like clouds.

After we are justified or born
again or regenerated, it is likely that in our daily "walk" our
"feet" become dirty. Because we are sheep and no more pigs, we donít
voluntarily and willingly walk into the gutter. Because the seed of God now
remains in us we cannot happily and habitually commit sin (1 Jn 3:9). The only
person who walked on the sin-stained earth without soiling his feet was Jesus.
If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves. We need daily footwashing by the
blood of Jesus.

Peter was known for extremes
like some Christians. Either they would keep shouting, "Once Saved, Always
Safe," and would not bother about frequent self-examination and cleansing.
Or, everytime they commit sin they would go on a guilt-trip as if they had lost
their salvation and pray to be born again "again." Jesus rightly said,
"No bathing again; only washing!" Justification is an one-time event,
a crisis experience, never to be repeated; whereas sanctification is a
moment-by-moment on-going process which gets over only at the hour of final
glorification.

2. Gnat &
Camel

"You strain out a gnat and
swallow a camel !" (Mt 23:24).

Jesus used this proverb in His
last sermon while rebuking the hypocritical religion of His day which emphasized
the externals and evaded the essentials. Gnats were perhaps smallest among
flies. The camel was the largest land animal in Palestine and ritually unclean.

Jesus is seen terribly angry in
the entire 23rd chapter of Matthew. He pronounces "woe" atleast eight
times. He addressed the religious leaders as "hypocrites, blind guides and
fools." Todayís Christianity is not much different from the Jewish
religion of Christís day. We can only follow what our leaders preach and not
what they practise (Mt 23:3). The leaders are hard on people but soft on
themselves (v 4). They wear special dresses for recognition (v 5).
They are after titles and positions (vv 6-12). When the leaders stop growing in
the things of God, they would block the growth of the people also (v 13).
Preachers rob widows and the suffering using their prayers (v14). Pastors are
more anxious about the numerical growth of their congregations than the
spiritual health of the members (v15). Rituals and traditions are more important
than realities and truth (vv 16-22). Pastors will be displeased with believers
who donít pay tithes, but they will not motivate them for social work and
charity (v23). And so on.

If Jesus were here to preach in
our Churches, I imagine He would say something like this: "Woe to you
hypocrites! You think that flash photography and video shooting inside the
Church building will desecrate it, but seek police protection for your committee
meetings! ... Woe to you hypocrites! You preach against wearing of jewels, but
hoard money in banks for three generations!..."

The "touch-not,"
"taste-not" and "handle-not" religion is alien to New
Testament Christianity (Col 2:21). Even though the Israelites had come out of
Egypt, Egypt had not come out of them. So it is with us. Christ has delivered us
from the law and brought us into His glorious liberty through His death (Gal
5:1). But we are still embracing legalism and living the Old Testament life in
the New Testament era. Legalism blinds us so much that we cannot see even a big
animal like camel! We would be living in self-deception that we are so strict
even about a matter so small as a gnat!

3. Hen &
Chicks

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem!
How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks
under her wings, but you were not willing!" (Mt 23:37).

Jesus concluded His last sermon
with this lamentation. He used this image of hen and chicks to explain divine
patience. God is never in haste. Especially in His dealings with people He is
graciously patient. He is called the "God of Patience" (Rom 15:5).
None of us can survive if God is impatient with us as we are with one another.
At the same time we cannot take His patience for granted and go on in our own
ways. The Jews were guilty of misunderstanding the patience of God. Apostle Paul
warned them sternly, "Do you despise the riches of Godís goodness,
tolerance and patience, not realising that the kindness of God should lead you
to repentance?" (Rom 2:4).

Jerusalem was called the
"perfection of beauty" and the "joy of the whole world" (Lam
2:15b). But she always had her enemies. Her safety was under the wings of
Jehovah (Psa 17:8; 36:7). Her prosperity was because of the warmth of His
fellowship. She despised it by rejecting Godís message that came to her
through prophets and wise men. She heaped for herself false prophets and
teachers who would speak to her taste. She was not willing to listen to those
who preached what she needed but only what she wanted. She not only kicked away
true messages from God but also killed truthful messengers. Jesus warned the
Jerusalemites that Godís patience was running out as they were martyring one
by one every true messenger of God, A to Z (Abel to Zechariah)! (Mt 23:35)

The hen calls the chicks at the
distant sight of an eagle. Safe are the ones which run into the motherís
wings. Others will be easily snatched away. Our safety is only in immediate and
implicit obedience to the mildest whisper of the Spirit of God. We will face no
danger in our lives which God has not warned us of. When we commit ourselves to
walk in obedience to God, He will check even the slightest deviation (Isa
30:21). Keeping our ears sensitive and our hearts soft before God is the surest
way to crush Satan in our lives (Rom 16:19,20). Hardening our hearts will lead
to sudden self-destruction (Prov 29:1). God waits patiently till the "cup
of iniquity" overflows! (Gen 15:16). Letís not mistake it.

4. Builders
& Cornerstone

"The stone which the
builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone!" (Mt 21:42).

As a building engineer I have
heard this statement made in various forms and occasions by masons. Looking for
an ideally shaped stone they would keep rejecting one after the other. Finally
they would settle for the best among the rejected ones! Jesus saw Himself as a
rejected stone. Prophet Isaiah portrayed Him as "a Man of sorrows ...
despised and rejected by men" (Isa 53:3).

None of us who truly follow the
crucified Saviour can escape the cross of rejection. No man is fully accepted
until he is totally rejected. Joseph was rejected but finally crowned. David was
despised but finally enthroned. Jesus was rejected and despised by relatives and
religionists. The world still hates Him. He has forewarned us, "If the
world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you" (Jn 15:18).
Apostle John repeated this warning, "Do not marvel, my brothers, if the
world hates you" (1 Jn 3:13). Apostle James went one step further when he
wrote, "Whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of
God" (Js 4:4b).

It was not an exaggeration when
Paul testified, "We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who
abuse us. We respond gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are
treated like the worldís garbage, like everybodyís trashóright up to the
present moment" (1 Cor 4:12,13). At the same time it is possible we
antagonize the world by unsocial gestures and lack of wisdom. This is wrong.
Jesus grew in favour with men, didnít He? (Lk 2:52). The message here is that
an evil world will not love a good Abel; an unrighteous world will not applaud a
righteous Noah; a licentious world will not tolerate a virtuous Joseph; a
corrupt religion will not accommodate a sincere Jeremiah; an immoral ruler will
not garland a forthright John the Baptist; and a world sold out to sin will not
embrace us if we stand against sin.

The context of this proverbial
passage teaches another valuable lesson. Jesus speaks about a vineyard (Mt
21:33-41). Godís serious view of fruitlessness in the lives of His people is
vividly illustrated here. Jesus concluded, "The Kingdom of God will be
taken from you and given to a nation that will produce proper fruit"
(v 43). When Godís own people fail Him, He bypasses them to work with a
people "who are not a nation" (Rom 10:19). In other words, the
gentiles óthe non-Jewsówho are rejected by the Jews have become the living
stones with which the Holy Spirit builds the temple of God (Eph 2:17-22). If we
keep on disappointing God, we alone will be the losers.

5. Falling
& Crushing

"Whoever falls on this
stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to
powder" (Mt 21:44).

After speaking about the
rejected stone becoming the chief cornerstone, Jesus made the above statement.
The stone obviously refers to Himself. Jesus is the "stumbling stone"
and the "rock of offense" (Rom 9:33; Isa 8:14a). Hereís a lesson of
immense practical value: Never work against God!

The Lord brought down Paul the
religious zealot from his arrogance and pride, and blinded him to teach him the
painful truth: "It is hard for you to kick against thorns" (Acts 9:5).
Eventhough Paul had studied under Professor Gamaliel, he had not understood this
truth properly. For Gamaliel the guiding principle in ambiguous situations was,
"If this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is
of God, you will not be able to stop it. You may even find yourselves fighting
against God" (Acts 5:34,38,39).

God has raised so many
ministries these days at the finishing stage of world evangelisation. Some are
independent ministries and some institutional. In our fallen nature, each of us
thinks that our ministry is better than all the rest! If we do not correct this
thinking, we would go about finding fault with everyone. The "speck"
in other ministries will look to us bigger than the "girder" in our
own! I had the same spirit in the early years of my ministry. When the Cross of
Christ worked deeply in me, I began to change. I started appreciating the good
in others. I resisted the impulsive behaviour to jump to quick conclusions. I
became aware of the weaknesses in my own ministry and started weeping in secret.
I concluded, "There is no perfect minister or ministry in Christendom. All
have pluses and minuses, strengths and weaknesses. We must build others and not
break them. If I claim to be an apple of Godís eye, the preacher with whom I
disagree also is an apple of Godís eyeó His other eye! I must not work
against Godóeven unawares. God is a Rock. I must not dash against it and break
my head; nor should I be crushed by it!"

6. Sword &
Sword

"All who use the sword will
die by the sword" (Mt 26:52).

Jesus was always a teacher. Even
at the hour of horror and agony, He made it a point to teach timeless truths to
His disciples. O how much the Lord was concerned about the future life and
ministry of His disciples! Peter might have been wondering what the use of the
sword was if it had not been used! After all it was Jesus Himself who had urged
the disciples to buy swords even if they had to sell their clothes to mobilize
money for it ! (Lk 22:36).

Vengeance is Godís (Rom 12:19;
Dt 32:35a; Heb 10:30). Vengeance is right, but we humans are incapable of
handling it (Lev 19:18). Sooner we learn this, fewer will be the casualties and
less the losses in the Kingdom of God. It was perfectly natural and logical for
a disciple to hit the enemy who lays hand on his master. Thatís what Peter
did. But Jesus wouldnít allow even that. When Godís word does not permit us
to use a sword even against an enemy, how can we ever use it against another
child of God or His servant?

David did not earn the title of
"Man-after-Godís-own-heart" easily. God was not playing favoritism
with him. When David secretly cut off a corner of Saulís robe at the prompting
of his men, "Davidís heart troubled him." He said to his men,
"The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lordís
anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the
Lord" (1 Sam 24:1-7).

A secret information one has
about his brother is a sword. "Put it in its case!" (Mt 26:52a). Dr.
Herbert Lockyer (1886-1984), one of the most voluminous Christian writers from
England, in his book, The Sins of Saints, writes, "Those who are
jealous of the abilities of others often settle for assassination of
character." Dr. W. L. Watkinson asserts, "The lives of
the most gifted and delightful of mankind have been blasted by envy. It seems to
vitiate the whole creation."

Next time you are tempted to
lift a sword against a brother, pause a while, look yonder! You will see "a
ram caught by its horns in a bush!" (Gen 22:13). Remind yourself of Paulís
challenge: "Who shall bring a charge against Godís elect? Who is he who
condemns? It is Christ who died and is pleading for us" (Rom 8:33,34).

7. Tree &
Wood

"If they do these things in
the green tree, what will be done in the dry wood?" (Lk 23:31).

"Jesus suffered for us so
we need not suffer!"óThis is one of the most popular sayings shouted from
modern pulpits. The Biblical illiterates from pews respond to this with shouts
of "Hallelujah!" How much Satan has deceived us! How far he has taken
us from divine predictions and revelations! Televangelism literally thrives on
this stuff. By the time the listeners and viewers realize the fallacy of this
teaching and that they are disillusioned, itís already too late. God, have
mercy on us, this generation, as we try to find alternate routes for the way of
the Cross!

All Christians are called to
suffer with and for Christ (2 Tim 2:11,12; Phil 1:29). Suffering is in the
eternal plan of God. In history Christ died 2000 years ago. But according to Godís
calendar, Christ was slain even before the creation of the world. This event of
eternity past will be the song of eternity future (Rev 13:8). According to
Jesus, Christian life will be one of suffering from commencement to
consummation. Thatís why He spoke about "daily cross" with reference
to discipleship (Lk 9:23).

The "green tree Vs. dry
wood" analogy refers to the ill-treatment we will receive from men. The
Jews once said to Jesus, "You have a demon!" (Jn 8:52a). What did they
mean when they told Him, "We were not born out of wedlock"? (v41).
Were they indirectly hitting at how He was conceived before His mother got
married? His own brothers and sisters once commented, "He is out of His
mind" (Mk 3:21). If folks could say such things about the Son of God who
committed no sin in thought, word or deed, why are we upset at the mildest
verbal abuse? Most of Christís sayings were misunderstood, though He was
wisdom personified and He spoke not a single word more or less than what was
necessary. Can we then escape the cross of misunderstanding?

Nothing is more hurting than
when a manís own family folks become his foes. But sometimes we cannot escape
this also (Mt 10:36). "Wounds from friends" are another tragedy (Zech
13:6). How would you feel if someone like Judas whom you trusted with money
betrayed you for money? How would you feel if someone like Peter whom you
promoted to cabinet rank denied and cursed you? How would you feel when someone
like John whom you loved most deserted you when you needed him most?

8. Wheat &
Chaff

"Simon, Simon! Indeed,
Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you like wheat" (Lk 22:31).

Of the 12 disciples, as per the
record, Simon alone was picked up to be tossed so much by Satan. The condition
today seems to be different. Almost every sincere child of God, at some time or
other in his life, goes through such a trying experience. There are several
lessons we can learn from what happened to Peter.

Satan obtained permission from
Christ to attack Peter. He did so in the case of Job also (Job 1:12; 2:6).
Nothing happens to us without the knowledge and permission of the Lord
Omniscient and Omnipotent. This realisation is our greatest strength and
sustainer at the hour of crisis. God has taught us to call on Him in the day of
trouble so He would deliver us (Psa 50:15). But He knows about our situation
before our lips utter the first syllable in prayer.

Sifting of wheat is not over
with a single stroke. Itís done repeatedly and that in quick succession. So
also with trials. They come over us like wave after wave. We know how soon a
cock crows a second time after the first. Peter was tempted atleast thrice
within that short time to disown his Lord. In Jobís case even while someone
would be "just reporting" a death or a loss, the next news of this
sort would reach him (Job 1:16,17,18). A Tamil proverb says, Wounded leg will be
wounded again!

God is not silently watching us
from a distant Heaven doing nothing. Having granted permission to Satan, the
Lord went on with His ministry of intercession for His friend. Our troubles may
be innumerable. We will be constantly bombarded by men and our own minds with
the question, "Where is your God?" (Psa 42:3,10). But those who have
walked frequently through the valley of darkness and death know, "God is a
very present help in trouble" (Psa 46:1b). This entire Psalm is worth
memorizing.

Sifting of wheat is just a means
of purification. It is to separate the genuine wheat from the chaff and the
other items that had gotten mixed in with it. We need to get rid of so much of
useless stuff from our lives. The weight of habitual and chronic sins needs to
be removed from us so we may run the race victoriously (Heb 12:1). If handled
rightly, no trial would leave us without net profit (Heb 12:10,11). Simon Peter
in the very first chapter of his first letter speaks of "various
trials" as a fire which purifies our golden faith! (1 Pet 1:6,7). After
Satanís sifting, Peter was promoted in ministry (Lk 22:32b).

9. Shepherd
& Sheep

"Strike the shepherd and
the sheep will be scattered" (Mt 26:31; Zech 13:7).

Though all Christians will have
to pass through trials and tribulations, those in Christian ministry and
leadership will be the primary target of the devil. We donít remove a tree by
plucking off leaves or cutting off branches. The axe will be laid at the
"root" of the tree! Having been in Christian leadership for over three
decades, I would say that those in leadership positions must not be envied but
pitied. Godly leaders never came up to their positions by their choice or
grabbing of seats. More often than we think, God puts them there more or less by
compulsion. He would not accept their excuses to assume such responsibilities
(Ex 4:10-13; Jer 1:4-8).

Constant weight of
responsibilities, sleepless nights due to pressures and problems, frequent
travels, hectic schedule, pressures due to unrealistic expectations of people,
non-cooperation and strife among coworkers, challenges and threats from the
enemies of the gospel, financial strain, family problems, repeated temptations
and scores of such things tire the leaders physically, exhaust them mentally and
drain them spiritually. No wonder even champions like Prophet Elijah cried,
"It is enough! Lord, take my life!" (1 Ki 19:4).

The Strike-the-Shepherd
operation of Satan has gathered momentum in these last days. Every other
preacher is ill with some chronic disease. Godís servants meeting with
frightful accidents is no more a surprise. Family conflicts and moral failures
are commonplace. Corruption is rampant. Only now the people are understanding
that preachers and leaders are not angels but just human. Preachers have prayed
enough for people. Itís now the peopleís turn to pray for the preachers.
Give yourself to preventive praying for those in ministry and leadership. Pray
that God may protect them from defilement, diseases, divisions, dangers and
depression. Prevention is better than cure!

The cross of loneliness is the
heaviest for leaders. The closest disciples were fighting for prominence and
positions while Jesus was preparing to drink the cup of bitterness. They slept
off when He was sweating blood. Even the guardian angels were absent for a
while. It appeared to Jesus on the Cross that God also had forsaken Him. Paul
mourned, "All forsook me" (2 Tim 4:16). Dear friends, do all thatís
possible to encourage the leaders, refresh them and support them. If they do
well, you only will be the beneficiary.

10. Carcass
& Eagles

"Wherever the carcass is,
there the eagles will be gathered together" (Mt 24:28).

Jesus used this proverb in
connection with His return and the gathering of His saints from all over the
world. Unfortunately the Church is ignored today by the society. We Christians
also suffer from a minority complex. As I write this article on 19 March 2003,
the global attention is on the World Cup cricket match in South Africa and the
possible Gulf War. Think of a day when Jesus Christ and His Church will be the
talk of the world! That will be the headlines of newspapers and TV news!

Talking about Cricket and War,
we donít know who would win. But in our case, victory is preassured. Jesus
will win! His saints will receive the Kingdom! Here comes Daniel with the sure
word of prophecy: "The sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the
kingdoms under heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. They
will rule forever, and all rulers will serve and obey them" (Dan 7:27).

John the forerunner of Christ for His first
coming could not have access to the pulpit of the organized religion. He did not
feel bad about it. He was a man from God, and he had a message from God. That
was good enough for him. He went to the banks of Jordon and started to preach.
People cared the less for the High priests Annas and Caiaphas and went to listen
to John (Lk 3:2,3). After sometime the Pharisees and Sadducees also went to hear
him (Mt 3:7). Where the carcass is, there the eagles will fly! The world of
religion, economics and politics is in utter confusion. The need of the hour is
men from God with a message from God. Anything else is secondary. Only such men
can take the world back to God! Will you accept this challenge?